1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting device for connecting a first member, such as a long aluminum member, to a second member, said device having a nut to be inserted in a T-groove cut in one side of the first member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, in order to connect members of standard sizes and shapes, thereby to build frames for machines or buildings, the bolts fixed to some of the standardized members of a first group are put into screw engagement with the nuts inserted in the T-grooves cut in the standardized members of the second group. The nuts can slide in the T-grooves, which are larger than the nuts. Therefore, any first-group member can be connected to a second-group member, at any position with respect to the second-group member. To secure the first-group member at the desired position, the nut in the T-groove of the second-group member must be held at a predetermined position. To this end a nut holder made of spring steel and slightly curving is used. More specifically, the nut and the nut holder are inserted together into the T-groove, such that the holder pushes, by virtue of its spring force, the nut onto a surface of the T-groove, thereby holding the nut at the predetermined position.
This conventional method of connecting a standardized member to another is disadvantageous in four respects. First, as the nut holder made of spring steel is made to slide in the T-grove to bring the nut to the desired position in the T-groove, it scratches the surfaces of the T-groove. Second, it is not easy to slide the nut holder to the desired position. Third, the nut holder gets rusted over a long use. Fourth, the nut holder is expensive since it is made of spring steel.